Unmanned vehicles generally refer to any type of vehicle that can be driven without a pilot in the vehicle. For example, PackBot® and Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV)® are unmanned ground vehicles manufactured by IRobot®. Typically, unmanned vehicles are driven by an operator using a controller that is remote relative to the unmanned vehicle. Unmanned vehicles can be automatically driven along a predetermined path. The predetermined path can be stored in a computer of the unmanned vehicle or communicated to the unmanned vehicle.
Unmanned vehicles are used by the military in air, on ground, and in water. For example, the military uses unmanned vehicles for reconnaissance, attack missions, and as decoys. Unmanned vehicles are used in civilian applications as well. For example, fire-fighting and non-military surveillance activities are considered civilian applications.
Unmanned vehicles can be driven using controllers that are specific to the unmanned vehicle or universal controllers. For example, an SUGV® can be controlled by an SUGV® controller or by an Xbox® controller. A controller that is specific to the unmanned vehicle requires training for a user to learn how to operate the controller. For users who operate multiple types of unmanned vehicles (e.g., military personnel), learning a new controller for each unmanned vehicle can become time consuming and costly. Users who operate multiple unmanned vehicles are prone to make controlling errors because they are likely to confuse the various controllers in a high pressure situation.
Unmanned vehicle controllers can be large, bulky, and heavy, making it difficult to carry the controllers from place to place. A large controller typically requires a large amount of power, making battery life short. In addition, unmanned vehicle controllers are often expensive. Therefore, a universal unmanned vehicle controller that is light weight and inexpensive is desirable